Liquid mixing devices



1962 J. A. WERRY 3,049,266

LIQUID MIXING DEVICES Filed Sept. 29, 1959 IN ENTOR JOHNkWERRY ATTORNEYUnited States Patent 3,049,266 LIQUID MIXING DEVICES John A. Werry,Cedar Grove, N..I., assiguor to Kidde Manufacturing (30., Inc.,Bloomfield, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Sept. 29, 1959, Scr.No. 843,190 8 Claims. (Cl. 222133) The present invention relates toliquid mixing devices, and, more particularly, to devices for mixing ameasured amount of liquid detergent with a flowing stream of water underpressure.

The present invention aims to provide such a device which will injectthe detergent into the water when the stream commences to fiow and willthereafter prevent additional detergent from entering the stream,whereby clear water leaves the device. Such a device is adapted for usewith machines for washing one object at a time, for example drinkingglasses or bottles, where it is desired to first supply water containingthe detergent to wash the object and then to supply clear water forrinsing the object.

While various devices of this general character have been proposed, noneof them was entirely satisfactory for one or several reasons.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide animproved liquid mixing device which is particularly adapted forsupplying washing water and rinsing water to washing machines.

Another object is to provide such a device to which the detergent can besupplied by gravity.

Another object is to provide such a device which is self starting andneed not be primed.

Another object is to prevent the entrapment of air bubbles which wouldcause malfunctioning of the device.

Another object is to provide such a device which accurately measures andinjects the desired amount of detergent into the water and thereaftershuts off communication between the supply source of detergent and thestream of water so that completely clear water can eave the device andthe waste of detergent is prevented.

A further object is to provide such a device which is simple andpractical in construction, economical to manufacture, and reliable inoperation.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon anunderstanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, orwill be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages notreferred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employmentof the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes ofillustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawing,forming a part of the specification wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a device in accordance withthe present invention illustrating the same in its inactive position.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional View taken along the line 22 on FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the device in itsoperating position.

Referring to the drawing in detail, there in shown a liquid mixingdevice generally comprising a lower casing member having an inlet 11 andan outlet 12 for a stream of water under pressure, an upper casingmember 14 secured to the lower casing member to provide a chamber andhaving an opening 15 for introducing a supply of detergent, diaphragmmeans 16 movably mounted in the chamber and dividing the same into upperand lower chambers which serve as a detergent supply chamber and amixing chamber respectively, and a spring 17 for urging the diaphragmmeans downwardly.

The upper casing member has a downwardly extending plunger 18 and thelower casing member has an upwardly facing countersunk portion 19between its inlet and outlet for the purposes described hereinafter.

The diaphragm means 16 comprises a flexible diaphragm 20 secured betweenthe upper and lower casing members, and a piston member 21 secured tothe diaphragm for movement therewith. The piston member has a well 22therein which communicates with the upper chamber, and has a cylindricalextension 23 at the bottom therefor provided with passageway means 24including side openings 25 in communication with the well.

The spring 17 surrounds the plunger 18 and is biased between the uppercasing member and the piston member 21.

From the construction of the device as so far described, it will beapparent that when water under pressure flows through the lower chambera force is exerted on the piston member to move the same upwardlywhereby the plunger enters the well 22 and tends to expel detergent fromthe well 22 to the mixing chamber.

In order to provide an eflicient and practical mixing device, aresilient washer 26 is mounted on the piston member 21 adjacent theupper end of the well 22 which is adapted to form a seal about theplunger 18 to prevent detergent from being forced back into the upperchamber and to assure expulsion of the detergent into the mixingchamber. Also, check valve means are provided for the side opening 25which comprise a resilient tube 27 secured to the piston member andtightly surrounding the extension 23 so that, when the device isinactive, detergent cannot leak into the mixing chamber. As .shown inFIG. 2, the extension 23 and the tube 27 are in concenric alignment withthe countersunk portion 19 so that, when the spring 17 urges the pistonmember downwardly into its inactive position, the lower end of the tubeextends into the countersunk portion 19 and locks the check valve meansto make the same more fully liquid tight while the device is inactive.

The tube 27, upon expanding slightly due to the pressure caused by theplunger 18 in operation of the device, meters the detergent into thestream of water at a rate so that an adequate volume of water containingdetergent is supplied during the cleaning operation of the washingmachine.

The amount of detergent expelled from the well 22 into the lower chambercan be predetermined by adjusting the stroke of the piston member bysuitable stop means. As illustrated herein, such means may comprise arod 29 threaded into the bore 30 of the plunger and extending outwardlythereof to engage the bottom of the well and stop further upwardmovement of the piston member. A sealing ring 31 between the rod and thebore prevents leakage through the plunger. After adjusting the positionof the rod, a lock nut 32 is applied to retain the rod in its desiredposition.

In operation, the upper chamber is filled with a liquid detergent, and,when the stream of water is shut off so that there is no pressure in thelower chamber, the spring 17 holds the piston member 21 in its lowermostor inactive position, as shown in FIG. 1, whereby liquid detergent flowsinto the well 22 and fully fills the same. Since the tube 27 has itslower end inserted into the countersunk portion 19, leakage of detergentinto the lower chamber is prevented.

When the water is turned on, pressure is established in the lowerchamber, the piston member 21 moves upwardly, the lower end of the tube27 is released, the plunger 18 enters the well 22, the washer 26 sealsofi the well 22 from the upper chamber, and, as the piston membercontinues to move upwardly, the plunger displaces the desired amount ofdetergent through the passageway means 24 to cause the tube 27 to expandand unseal the openings 25, whereby the detergent is metered in themixing chamber (FIG. 3).

When the device is used in connection with a glass washing machine suchas shown in application Serial No. 661,654, filed May 27, 1957, nowPatent No. 2,955,304, Water containing detergent which has beenthoroughly mixed therein is supplied to the washing machine for asuflicient duration to thoroughly wash and clean a glass. As the watercontinues to flow and the piston member 21 is in its uppermost positionwith the stop rod 29 engaging the bottom of the well 22, the inj ectionof detergent ceases, and clear water flows through the device and issupplied to the washing machine to rinse the glass.

After the glass has been so washed and rinsed and is removed from themachine, the flow of water through the device is shut oil? and pressurein the lower chamber decays, whereupon the spring 17 returns the pistonmember 21 to its inactive position (FIG. 1) Where it is held until thewater is turned on again.

From the foregoing description, it Will be seen that the presentinvention provides an improved liquid mixing device. By reason of theconstruction and operation of the device as just described, the deviceis self starting because, even when empty and inactive, detergent can beintroduced by gravity into the well, and the well is maintained liquidfull without the entrapment of during operation thereof.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangementof the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to beunderstood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrativeand not in any limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A liquid mixing device comprising a casing, diaphragm means movablymounted in said casing and dividing said casing into an upper chamberand a lower chamber, said lower chamber having an inlet and anoutlet'for connection in a valve controlled stream of unidirectionalflowing liquid under pressure adapted to move said diaphragm meansupwardly when flowing from said inlet to said outlet and said upperchamber having an opening for introducing another liquid to be mixedwith the flowing stream of liquid, said diaphragm means hav-. ing a Wellcommunicating with said upper chamber-and being provided with outletmeans communicating with said lower chamber, check valve means for saidoutlet means, a stationary plunger in said upper chamber adapted toextend into said well upon upward movement of said diaphragm means toforce liquid from said well through said outlet means to said lowerchamber, and a spring for urging said diaphragm means dovmwardly in theabsence of flow of the stream.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said lower chamber has meansfor locking said check valve means when said diaphragm is in itslowermost position.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said check valve means is aresilient tube surrounding said outlet means.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein said lower chamber has anupwardly facing countersunk portion for receiving the lower end of saidtube to lock said check valve means when said diaphragm means is in itslowermost position.

5. A device according to claim 1, including stop means for determiningthe extent of upward movement of said diaphragm means.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein said plunger has a threadedbore and said stop means is threadedly secured in said bore to adjustthe position thereof.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein a gasket is mounted adjacentthe upper end of the well adapted to form a seal about said plunger whensaid plunger extends into said well.

8. A liquid mixing device comprising a lower casing member having aninlet and an outlet and being formed with an upwardly facing countersunkportion between said inlet and said outlet, an upper casing membersecured to said lower casing member formed with a downwardly extendingplunger and having an inlet, a diaphragm secured between said casingmembers, a piston member secured to said diaphragm for movementtherewith and formed with an extension at the bottom thereof inconcentric alignment with said countersunk portion, said piston memberhaving a well and said extension having passageway means communicatingwith said well and including a side opening, a resilient tube on saidextension adapted to seal said side opening and unseal the same inresponse to the presence and absence of pressure within said well, thelower end of said tube being adapted'to extend into said countersunkportion to prevent unsealing of said side opening, a washer mounted onsaid piston member adjacent the upper end of said well adapted to form aseal about the lower end of said plunger, and a spring biased betweensaid upper casing member and said piston member for urging said pistonmember downwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,147,185 Phillips July 20, 1915 2,585,172 Reynolds Feb. 12, 19522,653,802 Bauerlein Sept. 29, 1953 2,793,793 Sampson May 28, 19572,830,743 Rimsha et al Apr. 15, 1958 2,965,268 Bauerlein Dec. 20, 1960

